It's great to read everyone's "tea story." Here's the truncated version of mine.

How long have you been drinking tea?I was introduced to loose leaf black tea around 1994, while in high school, by a woman that would one day become my mother-in-law.

What was your first Tea?It was certainly something from Mariage Freres. I cannot remember specifically. A flavored blend served with milk and sugar and brewed in a cast iron teapot.

What is your favorite Tea currently?After about a 5 year love affair with high mountain oolong, I am now mostly into japanese greens. FUKAMUSHI-CHA!

What is your next purchase?If I had my druthers, I'd be getting a re-up from o-cha, but, alas, we are totally out of black tea and that is BAD NEWS in my house.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?Over the years I can think of many great nooks in many cities; but now, my favorite spot is on top of a painted wicker chest while I sit on my couch in the living room with my wife and/or a good friend. Preferably, my son is asleep and Vladamir Horowitz is on the turntable. That is best practice to find the tea-zone.

So, hi everyone. I'm not much of a tea drinker: I drink mostly herbal tea and not "real tea" much at all but I love what I do drink!

How long have you been drinking tea?I have only been drinking loose leaf tea for about two years (and I believe that that is all that counts!)

What was your first Tea?My first loose leaf tea was a flavored black tea that I ordered from Adagio - don't remember what flavor though. I had tried other tea - that orange pekote or whatever that is in every hotel room and some fruit teas from liptons and celestial seasons and I thought I hated tea. Adagio's impressed me big time and now I LOVE tea!What is your favorite Tea currently?I'm not really into actual tea - I really love chocolate honeybush and vanilla honeybush and hazelnut honeybush... All mixed together is my favoriteWhat is your next purchase?Next purchase is the gunpowder tea (for my husband) whenever it gets back in stock and probably some more of my honeybush blends.Where is your favorite spot to brew up?There are really two places that I brew tea the most. The first is at work - I actually bought a hot water dispenser for work so that I could easily make tea at work. The second is in my Lazyboy recliner just before I sleep (Yes, since my back surgery I can't sleep laying down so I sleep in a recliner), since I sleep during the day the tea really helps me relax after a night of work and fall asleep.

How long have you been drinking tea?I believ since I was a wee tot. It’s kind of sad that I can’t remember my first tea even though it was less than a quarter century ago.

What was your first Tea?Probably a Red Rose or Salada teabag (my mom always has a 50 pack of them in the cupboard). My first loose leaf was twinings.

What is your favorite Tea currently?I’m just starting to get into good greens. I got my Den’s sampler pack yesterday and have been enjoying them immensely. I expect my favourite will be whatever tea I’m having at the time, for a while. A year or two ago, my answer would have been lady grey, hands down.

What is your next purchase?Ordering more tea from den’s, and maybe one from O-cha. Probably I’ll toss in a Den’s kyusu too.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?The kitchen; it’s where things get steamy…

Hello! Just wanted to introduce myself. Been a long time lurker and so now want to also be an contributer.

How long have you been drinking tea?I've been drinking tea for about 4 or 5 years but didn't think seriously of it until about 4 months ago. I consider myself a beginner still trying to learn the ropes.

What was your first Tea?Celestial green tea. My first good tea was the oolong sampler from Adagio.

What is your favorite Tea currently?Too hard to decide.

What is your next purchase?Da Hong Pao

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?At the kitchen table. It's whats easy for me.

How long have you been drinking tea?I have been drinking tea everyday for so many years, that if I skip a day or even drink it one or two hours later than normal, I end up with debilitating withdrawal symptoms... Okay maybe that's exaggerating a little bit, but still.. If someone interrupts my morning tea ritual, I can become a grumpy old man.

How long have you been drinking tea?I grew up with Midwestern sweet tea. Which means Lipton tea bags with sugar - but half (or less) the amount you'd find in Southern sweet tea.

What was your first Tea?Loose leaf? None. I've only ever done tea bags, Lipton, mostly, for my cold sweet tea, Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey for the occasional hot, and I tried Morning Thunder by Celestial Seasonings, but they're all bagged.

What is your favorite Tea currently?As I said, completely new here. I have no problem with Lipton for cold sweet tea, but I would love to find something better, both for that purpose, and the occasional hot tea.

What is your next purchase?I have no idea. I'm currently unemployed, but once I'm working again, I'm inclined towards trying some good loose leaf black teas, both for hot and cold sweet drinking.

Where is your favorite spot to brew up?I haven't really got a favorite spot. I brew in the kitchen, and that wouldn't likely change.

TIM wrote:How long have you been drinking tea?What was your first Tea?What is your favorite Tea currently?What is your next purchase?Where is your favorite spot to brew up?~Tim

Well, hello everyone. I've been drinking tea for three or four years now, though obsessively only for the last year. The first real tea I fell in love with was some sort of snow bud (xue ya?), I think. I still crave that flavor, though my tastes have changed somewhat. My favorite tea of late has been this young raw pu-erh from Ma Hei. Another (disturbingly larger than my last) YSLLC purchase is next, mostly sheng pu samples but also a few cakes to be the firsts of my reserves. Naturally, I needed a competitor to rival my college debts. And my favorite spot to have tea is my home, where I can geek out in peace.I'm looking forward to learning a lot with you folks and wading deeper into the murk.